Ah Ou Bangrak is Bangkok's best proof that superb cooking can be knocked out from a street vendor, cooking that could rival any bricks-and-mortar restaurant. The metal pushcart piled with plastic baskets of mise en place, the cluttered mess of pots and pans and the sticky plastic lamenated menus with photos of the food hardly radiates refinement. But if you manage to nab a metal street table here after dark, you'll be chowing down on some fine Thai-Chinese tucker.
The menu is large, but you can't go wrong with a plate of hoy jaw (deep-fried slices of minced shrimp and pork wrapped in bean curd), a plate of the pu pad pong karee (stir fried crab in curry powder), a few lightly grilled giant river prawns and a side of pad pak boong (stir-fried morning glory with garlic and chilli).
Such accuracy in taste and perfection has gained a loyal following along every social strata of Bangkok. And during peak dinner hours, tables are filled quickly so expect a wait. Don't worry, it's worth it.
Ah Ou Bangrak set up along Charoen Krung Road daily, a good opportunity to combine with a visit to the nearby riverfront Asiatique market. Prices here are a little more than your average street vendor, but couldn't be called expensive particularly for the high quality of the ingredients used. Most dishes hover between 80-300 THB (around US $2.45-9.20) with some seafood plates hitting slightly higher prices.